The theme of this year's Pancyprian Nutrition Day "Let food be your medicine" refers to the words of Hippocrates centuries ago "Let medicine be your food and your food be your medicine", wanting to highlight the importance of a healthy diet in maintaining a healthy body and preventing disease. This point of view has been constantly reaffirmed and is still valid today. The role of good nutrition combined with physical exercise in the prevention and promotion of health is scientifically documented. It helps to protect against the onset of disease, largely determining the human body's response to environmental and stressful changes. A comprehensive approach aimed at promoting and adopting healthy lifestyles, including good nutrition, daily exercise and abstinence from habits such as smoking, is therefore necessary.
In modern times, the globalisation of the economy and markets have contributed to an increase in the quantity and variety of foods available to consumers. This has resulted in consumers moving away from their traditional eating habits and adopting a lower quality diet rich in saturated fats, added sugars and salt.
This change in eating habits has contributed to an increase in the incidence of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and an increase in obesity, vascular strokes and some forms of cancer. It has also contributed to the dramatic increase in childhood obesity rates which is of great concern at a global level. In fact, our country, unfortunately, holds an extremely worrying lead in terms of the prevalence of overweight and obese children aged 7-9 years, according to a recent survey carried out by the World Health Organization in the framework of the European Childhood Obesity Monitoring Initiative. These results demonstrate the magnitude of the problem and the need to address it immediately with targeted measures.
At the international level, it is also worth noting that according to the United States National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 6 out of 10 people in the United States suffer from chronic diseases and 4 out of 10 people suffer from 2 or more chronic diseases. These diseases are a major public health problem and are responsible for a significant number of deaths and disabilities.
The Ministry of Health, driven by the need to improve the quality of nutrition for Cypriot citizens, has included educational programs in schools and communities as part of its plans to address the problem. Particular mention should be made of the "Be a Health Ambassador" programme which is aimed at primary school children with the aim of encouraging them to adopt good lifestyle habits.
Friends,
Since nutrition plays a key role in the prevention and management of chronic diseases, it is imperative that we change our habits and adopt a healthy and balanced diet. We can do this by returning to the diet of our tradition, the Mediterranean diet, which includes, among other things, the use of olive oil and the consumption of fruit, vegetables and lean proteins such as fish, poultry and legumes. Healing and prevention are generously offered to us by nature through our food. Let it become our medicine
Offering a very high level of health is irrefutably one of the fundamental rights of man. Health is measured not only in terms of mortality and morbidity, but also in terms of an individual's quality of life and ability to participate in social life
Recognizing the need for continuous education, the Ministry of Health welcomes, encourages and supports public awareness and information on issues that contribute to the prevention and protection of public health, such as good nutrition. I would like to congratulate the Cyprus Association of Dietitians and Nutritionists for this initiative and its ongoing actions, which are not only complementary to the work of the Ministry, but also catalytic. When the light spreads in society, the public lights its own torches.
Good luck in your work.
(DK)
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